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Community Infrastructure Levy – or CIL – is a new system which Oxford City Council uses to make developers pay towards the impact of their schemes on the surrounding area.

It is calculated based on the size of the development, with retail schemes like Westgate paying £100 per square metre.

The county council has said the nearby primary and secondary schools – St Ebbes and Cherwell – will have to be expanded as a result of the housing which is included in the scheme.

Through CIL the county council is also asking the developers to contribute towards the acquisition of land and construction costs of a new school in Bertie Place.

Daniel Round, the council’s locality manager for Oxford, said: “While these responses raise a number of technical issues, these are identified in the context that officers recognise that redevelopment of the Westgate centre would act as a catalyst for regeneration of Oxford city centre.

“This would reverse the trend of losing shoppers to centres such as Reading, Swindon and Milton Keynes.

“The Westgate redevelopment, which could generate up to 3,400 full-time equivalent jobs, would also provide Oxford with the opportunity to compete with heritage cities such as Bath, Cambridge, York and Exeter, by providing an historic built environment, cultural facilities and excellent retail.”

Chairman of the Oxford Civic Society Peter Thompson said: “We think it’s premature for the city council to be considering the application in the absence of a transport strategy. In principle, the society is in favour of the new centre and we really want it to be a success.”

But he said the traffic issues needed to be extensively looked at.

Once completed, the shopping centre will have a new underground car park with 1,100 places, a department store and cinema and 72,000 square metres of new retail space.

A decision on the Westgate planning application will be made on March 11.

A final figure for how much the developers will have to pay will be agreed at the meeting.

If approval is given, the centre is expected to open in 2017.

WHAT’S ON THE COUNTY COUNCIl’S WISH LIST

Funding towards expansion of Oxford’s park-and-ride system

Money towards a bridge over the River Thames at Oxpens

Funding towards the redevelopment of Frideswide Square

Funding for a freight consolidation network which would see lorries dropping off their goods at a special park and ride outside the city

Expansion of the nearby primary and secondary schools – St Ebbes and Cherwell.

Comments (6)

That sounds like a photo opportunity for the CPRE! Noses upturned in the style of "Tulip Tattsyrup" in disgust* whilst gazing into the distance.

Will it bridge the railway too?

*A Google image search for "Tulip Tattsyrup" not only brings up the anti-road campaigner character played by Reece Shearsmith, but the Oxford Mail stock image of Helen Marshall...

Bridge over the River Thames at Oxpens?
That sounds like a photo opportunity for the CPRE! Noses upturned in the style of "Tulip Tattsyrup" in disgust* whilst gazing into the distance.
Will it bridge the railway too?
*A Google image search for "Tulip Tattsyrup" not only brings up the anti-road campaigner character played by Reece Shearsmith, but the Oxford Mail stock image of Helen Marshall...Andrew:Oxford

“This would reverse the trend of losing shoppers to centres such as Reading, Swindon and Milton Keynes."

What this fails to say is that the developments in those towns have incorporated significant on site parking, something which Oxford perversely sets its face against.

“This would reverse the trend of losing shoppers to centres such as Reading, Swindon and Milton Keynes."
What this fails to say is that the developments in those towns have incorporated significant on site parking, something which Oxford perversely sets its face against.Gunslinger

'This would see lorries dropping off their goods at a special park and ride facility outside the city'...so instead of one large lorry driving in we would have fleet of vans!!!!!!!! Not thought out very well has it!! Doh.So the developers pay for a bigger park and ride but the council reap all the benefits by charging drivers even higher prices!! The County council cocked up big time with Frideswide Square and expect the developers to pay to put it right. What planet are they living in????

'This would see lorries dropping off their goods at a special park and ride facility outside the city'...so instead of one large lorry driving in we would have fleet of vans!!!!!!!! Not thought out very well has it!! Doh.So the developers pay for a bigger park and ride but the council reap all the benefits by charging drivers even higher prices!! The County council cocked up big time with Frideswide Square and expect the developers to pay to put it right. What planet are they living in????Bart_simpsonDoh

Bart, if the developers are creating more traffic, why shouldn't they pay for the infrastructure that will support it? You suggest the County 'reaps the benefit' but it would be reaping a massive problem if Westgate dumped a load of traffic on the network the County manages.

Andrew - the bridge at Oxpens links a rec ground (Oxpens Meadow) with a nature park on reclaimed industrial land. I don't think CPRE would object. THere is no need to bridge the railway at this point as the path underneath the railway at this point could be improved, surfaced and lit for a fraction of the cost. At the moment it's quite unpleasant.

Bart, if the developers are creating more traffic, why shouldn't they pay for the infrastructure that will support it? You suggest the County 'reaps the benefit' but it would be reaping a massive problem if Westgate dumped a load of traffic on the network the County manages.
Andrew - the bridge at Oxpens links a rec ground (Oxpens Meadow) with a nature park on reclaimed industrial land. I don't think CPRE would object. THere is no need to bridge the railway at this point as the path underneath the railway at this point could be improved, surfaced and lit for a fraction of the cost. At the moment it's quite unpleasant.King Joke

King Joke wrote:
Bart, if the developers are creating more traffic, why shouldn't they pay for the infrastructure that will support it? You suggest the County 'reaps the benefit' but it would be reaping a massive problem if Westgate dumped a load of traffic on the network the County manages.

Andrew - the bridge at Oxpens links a rec ground (Oxpens Meadow) with a nature park on reclaimed industrial land. I don't think CPRE would object. THere is no need to bridge the railway at this point as the path underneath the railway at this point could be improved, surfaced and lit for a fraction of the cost. At the moment it's quite unpleasant.

They didn't say what kind of bridge...

If it refers to a pedestrian bridge, there is already one in place behind Dale Close. It was originally a railway bridge to serve the Oxford gasworks. To build another one within 50 metres would be a touch extravagant.

[quote][p][bold]King Joke[/bold] wrote:
Bart, if the developers are creating more traffic, why shouldn't they pay for the infrastructure that will support it? You suggest the County 'reaps the benefit' but it would be reaping a massive problem if Westgate dumped a load of traffic on the network the County manages.
Andrew - the bridge at Oxpens links a rec ground (Oxpens Meadow) with a nature park on reclaimed industrial land. I don't think CPRE would object. THere is no need to bridge the railway at this point as the path underneath the railway at this point could be improved, surfaced and lit for a fraction of the cost. At the moment it's quite unpleasant.[/p][/quote]They didn't say what kind of bridge...
If it refers to a pedestrian bridge, there is already one in place behind Dale Close. It was originally a railway bridge to serve the Oxford gasworks. To build another one within 50 metres would be a touch extravagant.Andrew:Oxford

The existing bridge is fine for pedestrians but doesn't really cut it as a cycle route - the main trip generator in these parts being the station (and in future the Westgate). Crossing the old gasworks bridge gives cyclists the option of crossing Oxpens Meadow (no good in wet weather and has been flooded for weeks) or using the very narrow path behind the houses (on Dale Close?). This last annoys the residents and isn't much cop for cyclists either.

The pedestrian bridge will be provide a proper dedicated cycle route to the Westgate and an off-road one to the station if the Oxpens redevelopment goes ahead. It will be a fair bit further from the old gasworks bridge than 50 m, it's on the City Council website somewhere.

The existing bridge is fine for pedestrians but doesn't really cut it as a cycle route - the main trip generator in these parts being the station (and in future the Westgate). Crossing the old gasworks bridge gives cyclists the option of crossing Oxpens Meadow (no good in wet weather and has been flooded for weeks) or using the very narrow path behind the houses (on Dale Close?). This last annoys the residents and isn't much cop for cyclists either.
The pedestrian bridge will be provide a proper dedicated cycle route to the Westgate and an off-road one to the station if the Oxpens redevelopment goes ahead. It will be a fair bit further from the old gasworks bridge than 50 m, it's on the City Council website somewhere.King Joke